Counting mechanism



Aug. 6, 1929. G. E. GOODING COUNTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1924 ATT RN YS Aug. 6, 1929. G. E. eoonms 1,723,344

' COUNTING MECHANISM File n- 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Shee 2 A9 lg ATT RN E- Cir Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. GOODING, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN '1. ROBINSON COMQPAQNY, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

COUNTING MECHANISM.

Application filed January 21, 1924.

This invention relates to counting mechanism especially adapted to machines for operating upon flat paper stock and similar material in the manufacture of paper boxes and the like. The invention has for an object to provide counting mechanism for machines of this character capable of op oration by the stock itself, as distinguished from the mechanism operating thereon, as said stock is fed edgewise, or substantially in it-sown plane, through the machine, so as to register the number of box blanks or the like actually passing through the machine. In its preferred form, said counting mechanism is applicable to machines which in elude a plurality of mechanisms arranged to operate successii'ely upon the stock, such, for example, as double scoring machines for scoring a box blank along lines, transverse to one another, upon which it is to be folded. lVhen so applied, the counting mechanism is operative to count the number of blanks passing the final mechan sm, so as to count the perfect blanks only, as distinguished from the number of blanks inserted into the machine, some of which are frequently defective and are ejected or removed from the machine before being passed through the final mechanism, the registering portion of the counting mechanism being, however, disposed adjacent the initial mechanism, or the part of the machine into which the work is initially introduced, so as to be in a position for convenient observa tion by the operator.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood however that the particular construction and application de scribed and shown has been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, andthat the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise practised without departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are a top plan view and a front elevation, respectively, of a double scoring machine having the invention applied thereto, certain portions of the machine Serial No. 687,477.

not entering into the invention being broken away.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections taken substantially on lines 33 and al41-, respectively, Fig. 1.

\Vhile the invention may obviously be used in connection with other machines, it is herein shown as applied to a double scoring machine of w l-known type and whose scoring mechanism may be substantially as shown and described in Letters Patent N 0. 273,394, dated March 6, 1883, to John T. Robinson. Such a machine comprises two substantially similar scoring mechanisms disposed and operating at right angles to one another and including an initial scoring mechanism through which the stock is first passed to score the same along parallel lines in one direction, said stock being subsequently passed, in a direction transverse to the direction of its first movement, through the final scoring mechanism to score the same along parallel lines transverse to the first. The frame of tne primary scoring mechanism comprises a pair of uprights 10 (only one of which is shown in the drawings) between which is supported a feed table 11 over which the stock is fed into the machine. The stock passes from the feed table over a bed roll 12 which feeds the stock forward, said stock, during its passage over the said roll, being scored by a series of suitably arranged disk knives 13. The scoring knives 13 are carried by brackets 14 adjustably and detaehably secured to an invertible cross head 15 having trunnions 16 journalled in boxes carried by the uprights 10, said cross nead having its opposite edges each arran qed to carry a s .ries of knife brackets 14 in different arrangements suitable, respectively, for different sizes or shapes of boxes, so that by merely inverting the cross head the machine may be arranged for operation upon the blanks from which said different styles of boxes, respectively, are formed. The construction of the final scoring mechanism is substantially identica. with that of the initial scoring mechanism, and need not be described in detail, the several parts thereof being indicated 011 the the drawings by the same numerals as the corresponding parts of the initial scoring mechanism with the exponent i added. The feed or bed rolls 12 and 12 are carried by shafts 18 and 18 connected by bevel gears 17 and 17 one of said shafts being suit-ably driven from any convenient source of power through connections not shown herein.- The stock, after leaving the initial scoring mechanism, is fed by a pair of feed rolls 19 over an intermediate feed table 20 to the 188C table 11 of the final scoring mechanism over which it is moved toward the bed roll 12' and scorers 13 by means of a reciprocating pusher 21.

From the fore oing, the purpose, relative location, and function of the several instrumentalities 01 the scoring machine in connection with which the invention is herein illustrated will be sufficiently under stood for the purposes of the present description.

Mounted on the top of one of the uprights 10 is a bracket 22 which is formed with an upwardly and forwardly curved arm 23 extended toward the station of the operator adjacent the initial scoring mechanism and carrying at the end a registering counter 24. The counter 24, as herein shown, is of the well known Veeder type, although any suitable device of this character may be employed. Said counter is operated by a rock shaft 25 having on one end an arm 26 by which the same may be rocked.

Secured to the under side of the feed table 11 of the final scoring mechanism is a second bracket 27 having a sleeve-like bearing portion 28 extending transversely of said feed table toward the initial scoring mechanism. The feed table 11 is formed at one point adjacent the feed roll 12 with a slot 29 through which extends the end of one arm 30 of a bell crank lever 31 pivoted at 32 to a lug 33 on the sleeve portion 28 of the bracket 27. The arm 30 of the lever 31 constitutes a contact member which is engaged and depressed by the stock as it passes over the table 11 to the final scoring mechanism, the lever 31 being thereby actuated and operating, through connections hereinafter de scribed, to operate the counter 24. In order to ensure the depression of the contact member 30 by the stock, irrespective of the stiffness or flexibility of the latter, said stock is pressed firmly upon the feed table 11 during its passage over the contact member 30, by means of a guide or fixed wiper in the form of a series or curved fingers 34 carried by a transverse bar 35 having end trunnions journalled in brackets 36 secured to the upright 10*, said bar, with its attached fingers, being an ularly adjustable by means of a screw 50. The arm 30 is of the curved form shown in order to permit the same to pass about the bracket 37 by which the feed table 11 is supported from the uprights 10 The motion which can be imparted to the arm 30 of the lever 31 by the stock passing thereover is slight and somewhat variable,

and the operative connections between said contact member and counter are such as to multiply this motion to an extent sufiicient to secure the operation of the counter under a minimum movement of the contact member, said connections including a yielding element whereby any excess movement is taken care of. The other arm 38 of the lever 31 is accordingly connected by a link 39 with arm 40 fast on one end of a rock shaft 41 journalled in the sleeve-like bearing portion 28 of the bracket 27 Secured to the end or the shaft 41 adjacent the initial scoring mechanism is an arm 42 connected by a rod or link 43 with the operating arm 26 of the counter 24; The rod 43 extends loosely through an opening in the arm 26 between which and a collar 44 on said rod is interposed a spring 45 through which downward movement of said rod is yieldingly trans.- initted to the arm. The rod or link 43 is supported by a spring 46 connected at one end with a pin 47 projecting laterally from the rod and at its opposite end with a stud 43 projecting from the adjacent upright 10 From the foregoing description, the operation of the device will be obvious. Passage of stock through the initial scoring mechanism does not affect the counter, so that, should it prove necessary to remove any blank from the machine prior to its introduction into the final scoring mechanism, said blank will not be counted. Any blank, however, passing from the feed table 11 to the final scoring mechanism will be held down upon the table by'the guide 34and caused to press upon'the end of the arm 30 of the bell crank lever 31, causing the latter to be rocked about itspivot 32. This rocking of the bell crank is transmitted, through the link 39, arm 40, and shaft 41, to the arm 42, the free end of which is given a downward movement considerably in excess of the downward movement imparted to the contact member 30 by the stock. This downward movement of the arm 42 is transmitted through the link 43 to the operating arm 26 of the counter 24, causing the latter, which is in a position for convenient observation by the operator to be advanced one number. Any excess movement or the arm 42 over that required to advance the counter one number will be taken up by the spring 45. When the stock passes out of engagement with the contact member 30, the parts are returned to their normal positions by the spring 46, so that, upon the passage of another blank, the counter willbe again advanced one number.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine having a feed table and means for feeding paper blanks or the like flatwise thereover, a counting register, a contact member located below the feed table and having a portion inclined in the direction of feed of the blanks and projecting above the feed table spring presser means for pressing each blank fiatwise against said member to depress the same as the blank passes thereover, and mechanism operatively connected to said member for actuating the register.

2. In a machine having a feed table and means for feeding paper blanks or the like flatwise thereover, a counting register, a contact member located below the feed table and having a portion inclined in the direction of feed of the blanks and projecting above the table, spring presser means for pressing each blank flatwise against said member to depress the same as the blank passes thereover, a rock shaft connected to said member and adapted to be rocked thereby when the member is depressed, and yieldable' means operatively connecting said rock shaft with said register.

In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

GEORGE E. GOODDING. 

